Budapest, November 30 (MTI) – The National Election Committee has thrown out a referendum initiative submitted by the opposition Socialists aimed at the government’s programme of selling out plots of state-owned farmland.

The committee rejected the initiative on grounds that it would impact the budget law, and argued that its wording was not clear.

Parties of the opposition have repeatedly protested against the land auctions, which started earlier this month under the government’s motto of helping local farmers to state-owned land and preventing foreign investors from buying.

The Socialists earlier called the programme a “swindle” and argued that the plots being auctioned were already on lease, and the leaseholders, who had obtained those leases in “crooked” ways, would have options to obtain them easily.